Senators discuss voucher bill

By Lindsay KastnerStaff writer

Updated 8:17 pm, Tuesday, March 5, 2013

A bill to provide private school tuition vouchers to students receiving special education services was warmly received by some members of the state Senate Education Committee on Tuesday, but several advocates for such students said they oppose the plan.

Senate Bill 115, authored by Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, would provide scholarships to students with special needs to offset the costs of private school tuition. The amount of the scholarships would vary according to the severity of a child's condition.

The bill would divert state education dollars away from public school districts, but Williams said he believes the districts would still come out ahead.

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“School districts would retain local tax effort ... and they'll have a student who might be very expensive to educate who will no longer be on their rolls,” Williams said. “So my goal is to make sure that both the student and the school district will be better off.”

Sen. Eddie Lucio, D-Brownsville, expressed concern that the only families to benefit might be those who are able to make up any difference between the scholarship and the full cost of private school tuition.

“Many can't afford it,” he said.

Lucio also wondered whether families unable to transport their children to and from school would be able to use the scholarships if private schools do not provide transportation.

But Matthew Ladner, senior advisor of policy and research for the Foundation for Excellence in Education, pointed out that some students with special needs already attend private schools at public expense, but generally only after parents file a lawsuit or threaten one.

“It is the kids who can access and avail themselves of a fancy lawyer that are doing this right now,” he said.

Ladner, who was invited to testify on behalf of the bill, spoke about a similar program in Florida called the McKay Scholarship Program.

“It is beneficial across the board,” he said.

However, almost every member of the public to address the committee — including advocates for and parents of students with special needs — said the bill represents a step backward.

They argued that, upon exiting the public system, segregation of students with disabilities would increase and parents would lose certain federally protected rights related to their child's education, including the right to an individual plan for instruction and special services that parents might help draft.

Williams stressed that he does not view the bill as a backdoor means of introducing a broader voucher agenda.

“It is not my intention to see this bill expanded at all beyond the current parameters,” he said.

Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, who chairs the Senate Education Committee and is an enthusiastic champion of school choice, indicated months ago that he planned to push voucher legislation this session but so far has not filed any such bills. Friday is the last day of the session to introduce new legislation.